Mildred Pierce
Ratings5
Average rating3.2
In Mildred Pierce, noir master James M. Cain creates a novel of acute social observation and devasting emotional violence, with a heroine whose ambitions and sufferings are never less than recognizable. Mildred Pierce had gorgeous legs, a way with a skillet, and a bone-deep core of toughness. She used those attributes to survive a divorce and poverty and to claw her way out of the lower middle class. But Mildred also had two weaknesses: a yen for shiftless men, and an unreasoning devotion to a monstrous daughter.
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Different than Cain's other books — it isn't a mystery and there's no murder — but some of the characters are just as awful. Good writing here, though the Postman Always Rings Twice was Cain's best work.
Enjoyed this one much more than I thought I would. Had seen the Joan Crawford movie version so long ago I don't remember much of it other than “dark”, “awful daughter”, and “restaurant.” Have started watching the HBO miniseries - first few episodes are almost exactly like the book.
Really enjoyed the California setting - Glendale and Pasadena feature prominently. Pull up a map as you're reading, and you can see where Mildred is driving. The daughter Veda hate is for real - she's just awful. The music coach's description of her is delicious. Lol
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